Issue 4 - 19 March 2020

Newsletter Articles

MISSION STATEMENT

St Rita’s School mission is to create a community which inspires a love of holistic, life-long learning grounded in the Catholic Christian faith. Childhood is celebrated and nurtured by caring adults. A student’s capacity for their best future is realised in the context of our small rural community. We provide a safe and supportive environment, characterised by strong, life-giving and respectful relationships with students, staff, families, parish and the wider community. The school strives to ensure we are living out the Mercy values.

PRINCIPAL’S PEN

Dear Parents,

St Rita’s is one of the four hundred and ninety schools throughout Queensland who will participate in the tenth NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST BULLYING AND VIOLENCE this Friday, 20th March. The NDA 2020 marks the 10 year anniversary of Australia’s key anti-bullying event for schools. The theme for the NDA this year, ‘Take Action Together’, encourages school communities to connect nationwide with this significant event.

The NDA acts as a strong catalyst for Australian schools to take a stand together against bullying. The day brings together more than 60% of schools nationwide, involving more than two million students in finding workable solutions to address bullying and violence. At St Rita’s, our School Wide Positive Behaviour Framework is used to promote respectful relationships and positive social interactions between all members of our school community. In our eighth year of participation, our school community gives out a strong and clear message that bullying will not be tolerated at any time at St Rita’s.

At a classroom level, students will participate in a range of NDA-focused activities, and at a whole school Assembly, with Guest Speaker PLO Stacey Kneubuhler, we will promote the slogan of NDA, ‘take a stand together’ and ‘speak up’ against bullying to keep our school a safe and happy learning environment. Although the National Day of Action provides an opportunity to highlight the St Rita’s SWPBF, we believe that all members of the school community have rights to and responsibility for safety and wellbeing. The St Rita’s 3Rs Framework fosters respectful, peaceful relationships between all members of the school community all year round.

1. I have the right to learn.
   I have the responsibility to do my best and not to disrupt the learning of others.
2. I have the right to be respected.
   I have the responsibility to respect self, others and the environment.
3. I have the right to be safe.
   I have the responsibility to act safely in the classroom and the playground.

As parents, you also play an important role in keeping your child safe and promoting positive behaviour. If you have concerns about your child’s social interactions, talk to your classroom teacher about it so that the school can take necessary action to stop negative behaviour. As the slogan advocates, we all have a role to ensure that “Bullying is NEVER OK! Take a stand every day”.

In the past four weeks, Mrs Masina and classroom teachers have been conducting a running and fitness program for our students. As only 10, 11 and 12 year olds are eligible to compete in the interschool Cross Country to be held at the end of term, it is important that these age groups are well-trained for these specific courses. Of course, good preparation and training is needed to compete successfully in the 2km or 3km cross country courses. We wish our competing students all the best when they compete against other schools on Monday 23rd March at Babinda State School.

This term, good health and fitness has been a priority for all St Rita’s students, and each morning when it is coolest, everyone runs laps around the multi-purpose court. Targets were set for each class, and teachers were pleased that all children have aimed to run an extra lap as the days have progressed. We do not wish to part of the ‘few Australians of all ages meeting the physical activity guideline’!

The Physical Activity Across the Life Stages Report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) presents information on Australians’ physical and sedentary activity participation rates against the Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. It presents information across different population groups, including by Indigenous status, remoteness, socioeconomic groups and sex, and considers the barriers to physical activity across the life stages.

“Participating in regular physical activity and limiting the amount of time being sedentary can have significant health benefits—it reduces the risk of chronic conditions and other disease risk factors such as overweight and obesity, and also improves social and emotional health and wellbeing. While there are many opportunities to be physically active every day, our social, environmental and cultural context—as well as the settings in which we live, work and play—are important determinants of physical activity participation.

Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines (the Guidelines) set out a series of recommendations on the amount of physical activity (both aerobic and strength-based) and sedentary activity that is consistent with optimal health. The Guidelines (outlined in detail in this report) differ by age, with recommendations across the life stages for the age groups birth–5 years, 5–12, 13–17, 18–64, and 65 and over.

Overall, 30% of children aged 2–17 and 44% of adults aged 18 and over met the physical activity guideline. Children aged 2–5 were most likely to meet the guideline (61%) while children aged 13–17 were least likely to meet the guideline (7.9%).

Meeting the guideline decreased with increasing age for both children and adults:

• from 61% of 2–5 year olds to 26% of 5–12 year olds to 7.9% of 13–17 year olds
• from 48% of 18–64 year olds to 25% of those aged 65 and over.

Additionally, among adults aged 18–64, fewer than 1 in 4 (24%) met the strength-based activity guideline and less than 1 in 5 (19%) met both the physical and strength-based activity guidelines.

I encourage you to read the Report Summary. It is most concerning to learn that “most children exceed the recommended amount of sedentary screen-based activity’, with 1 in 3 (35%) of primary-aged children of 5 – 12 years meeting the recommended guideline. Are you surprised with these statistics? Maybe we all need to more closely monitor the time spent on screen-based and physical activities by our young children. Healthy bodies, healthy minds!

Twice a year, St Rita’s plans formal meeting sessions between teachers and parents to take place. During Week 9, beginning Monday 30th March, classroom teachers will be available to meet with you to discuss your child’s progress, identify specific difficulties, and set individual goals to guide learning and growth next term. Your classroom teacher will be sending home a letter giving information on the interview schedule for the class. I have always been pleased that we have one hundred percent participation by parents in our planned parent-teacher interviews. You are partners in your child’s education!

Have a good week. I hope to see you around the classrooms.

Regards and blessings,
Judy Billiau

APRE THOUGHTS

MERCY IN ACTION PRAYER INTENTION: In Response to COVID-19

We pray for our world - for all of us, each one now in some way impacted by COVID-19: but especially for those persons who are ill, those who have lost loved ones and those whose personal and work lives have been severely disrupted by the reach of this virus.

We give thanks for the tender care of the sick by doctors, nurses and health care workers, for the generous and willing service of volunteers and for the imagination and dedication of researchers seeking a cure.

We are grateful for those who share wise advice with us; those whose work creates healthy environments for us; those who put our needs before theirs, our safety before theirs, our well-being before theirs.

May we each be supportive of one another, considerate of one another and generous to one another in this difficult and uncertain time. Amen.

Source: https://www.mercyworld.org/newsroom/mia-prayer-intention-in-response-to-covid-19/ Accessed 15th March 2020.

THE THIRD WEEK OF LENT

“Whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst.” (John 4:14)

In this third week of Lent, the readings offer us the imagery of thirst and of water, inviting us to reflect on our deepest needs and desires, both spiritual and physical.

In the gospel story, from John 4:5-42, Jesus interacts with a Samaritan woman at a well, initially asking for a drink of water. Jesus names the woman’s broken relationships and speaks to her of the living water he offers which will quench all thirst. She marvels at his knowledge, calls him a prophet, and asks for this living water. He stays with her community, preaching the good news.

Through the lens of ecological conversion, we can further reflect on the connection between material resources and spiritual realities. The way we relate to the material world is intimately related to our relationship with God.

The problems of over- and unequal consumption of natural resources have been highlighted by Pope Francis and others who analyse the ecological crisis. One statistical estimate by Friends of the Earth is that the average North American uses 10 times more natural resources per day than the average person in a very poor country. Another is that if everyone on earth consumed as much as people in the United States, we would need three to five planet Earths to sustain the current levels of resource consumption.

This Lent, can we recognise that one of our deepest needs – both physical and spiritual – is to have healthy relationship with the natural world, to live in simplicity and concern for care of all life? Like with the Samaritan woman, God sees and loves us amid our broken relationships and offers us the living water of healing and truth. We ask for the grace to examine our relationship with the earth, recognize the truth, and receive God’s mercy for the harm we have done, knowingly or unknowingly.

You may be interested to learn about the wasteful practices of production and consumption of everyday goods. If so, visit the below website. Perhaps you could also try to fast from overconsumption. Refrain from shopping one day of the week, and use the money and time saved to pursue a hobby, build relationships, or support your community.

Source: https://maryknollogc.org/article/third-sunday-lent-2020 Accessed 15th March 2020

ST RITA’S BABINDA SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM 2020

In Term 2 St Rita’s will commence our Sacramental Program, which prepares candidates to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist. If your child is in Year 4 or above, is baptised (or is to be baptised) and you would like them to participate in the program, please contact the school office on 4065 9580 to organise an enrolment form.

Once enrolments have been finalised, an information session will occur, with further details regarding the sessions along with significant dates. Should you be aware of others in our community who would benefit from this information, we would be grateful if you would kindly refer them to contact our school.

Blessings,
Maureen Gaul
Assistant Principal (Religious Education)

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING

What’s bullying?

Bullying is hurtful, aggressive and repeated behaviour that aims to embarrass, threaten or intimidate another person.

Bullying can be carried out by an individual or group towards one or more persons and is a complex social problem which can occur in environments such as schools. Researchers agree that there are five key features of bullying behaviour:

1. The person (or people) who engage in bullying behaviour intend/s to inflict harm or fear upon the target.
2. Aggression towards the target occurs repeatedly.
3. The target child or young person doesn’t provoke bullying behaviour by using verbal or physical aggression.
4. Bullying tends to occur in familiar social groups.
5. The person engaging in the bullying behaviour is usually more powerful (either in reality or perception) than the person they're targeting. The power may be, for example, social, physical or age-related.

What bullying isn’t

Behaviours that don’t constitute bullying include:

• mutual arguments and disagreements (where there’s no power imbalance)
• not liking someone or a single act of social rejection
• one-off acts of meanness or nastiness
• isolated incidents of aggression, intimidation or violence.

To effectively respond to bullying at a whole-school level, it’s important that staff have an agreed definition that’s understood and applied consistently.

AROUND THE CLASSROOMS

Caritas Just Leadership Day

Last Wednesday, we travelled to St Clare’s in Tully with Mrs Jago for the CARITAS Just Leadership Day. It was about how we can help people who live in poverty in our community, and in our world. There were lots of children from other Catholic schools there too.

At first, we had to share our ideas on how many people were living in poverty. We were surprised about how hard some people’s lives were. We have so much and they have less.

During a session, we found out that many girls had to stay home and work, and were not able to go to school. They had to get water from a river with a bucket, instead of going to school.

We watched a video about Shirley and her village in the Philippines. People were judging them by the way they looked. They made them sit on top of the bus because of the colour of their skin. Project Compassion helped to train Shirley as a health worker, and her job is to help her community to be stronger and healthier.

We listened to a song that encouraged us to help one another. The day has inspired us to do more for our community.

By Edith Polzin and Eva Masina
Year 5

DATE CLAIMERS

STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

St Rita’s School congratulates those students who were awarded ‘Student of the Week’ at Assembly on Friday 12th March 2020.

ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

We congratulate Maddisyn Masina, Robert Freeman, Joseph Geary and Izaac Shaw (Prep/Year 1) for completing different levels of the M100W high frequency words. Maddisyn successfully completed Blue level, Robert successfully completed Pink and Violet levels, Joseph completed Pink level, and Izaac completed Gold level in the M100W word lists. Maddisyn, Robert, Joseph and Izaac were presented with their M100W Certificates at Assembly last Friday.

BIRTHDAY CONGRATULATIONS

St Rita’s wishes Pearle Logan all the very best for her recently celebrated birthday. We hope you had a wonderful birthday celebration Latoya!

P&F NEWS

Dear Parents,

It was decided at the last P&F meeting to have a short working bee to tidy up the school grounds and gardens this term. It would be much appreciated if you could spare one or two hours to participate in the working bee this Friday afternoon between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm.

As the garden beds and sandpits need weeding, and pruning, please bring your own gardening tools.

Children can play within the school grounds if you are unable to make alternative arrangements.

Could you please message Debbie on the school mobile 0400 698 414 if you are able to help at the working bee.

Maryjane Masina
P & F Secretary

Turn Your Trash into Cash!

The P & F is contributing to the St Rita’s sustainability initiative by organising the collection of recyclable containers that earn 10c upon return to Cash 4 Containers FNQ.

Please view the poster in this newsletter to show which specific containers will incur the 10c refund. Although it seems like an insignificant amount paid for each container, it ‘all adds up’ if all families start collecting and sending in their containers. We thank you for your interest and support of this fundraising activity!

Maryjane Masina
P & F Secretary

MUSIC LESSONS

Mrs Jenni Marks, an experienced instrumental and singing music teacher, will once again be teaching lessons at St Rita’s. Piano, guitar and singing are the available choices this year.

Students can be taught one-to-one or in a small group of two or three. For fee enquiries please do not hesitate to phone me on home 4067 6157 or mobile 0424 756 157.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

COMMUNITY NEWS

Well Women’s Clinic – Babinda Hospital

(This clinic is available to Medicare eligible clients)

Tuesday 31st March 2020
All services are provided by a specially - trained Women’s Health Nurse.
For appointments phone 4067 8200

ONE TIME CLEANING